For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status remained secure after the caretaker coach’s spell in the first half of last season.
Enter the new boss, and it is worth remembering that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept another defender into the starting XI for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look great.
The manager started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which included the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to be, who knows who’s going to feature?”
What Guéhi did next was what he always does – stay completely in the moment, as composed as possible. Which would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Not a soul would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that camp and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel around. The young defender started in each and was especially impressive in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we do get the chance, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Theme
Trust is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most remarkable demonstration of support in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are available have been retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Unity
His choice to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.
What must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, although the former now being fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a coach creates a performance-based culture, how he forges connections. Tuchel loved the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The talent was not in question; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has gone on in the past or whatever is going on in the season, you leave that behind. You come here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic role at fostering an spirit. Then again, it comes down to the players to truly embrace that. In my opinion each member has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy so much being here and I am sure the others of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the victories positive, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the side continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a natural human emotion,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It signifies that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this earth. I’d rather be excited and focused and help the people that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
